Rachelle Marshall — U.S. and Saudi Arabia: A Toxic Alliance

If it were only Saudi Arabia.

What appears to be a questionable choice of allies is in fact totally consistent with past U.S. policy. America’s self-proclaimed image as a beacon of freedom and human rights has been marred over the years by alliances with oppressive rulers, a long list that includes the shah of Iran, August Pinochet, the Greek colonels, the Argentinian generals, Salvadoran death squads, and the Nicaraguan contra. In line with this record is America’s close partnership with Saudi Arabia, a kingdom that acts with unparallelled brutality toward its own citizens as well as those of neighboring countries.…
Anyone see a pattern here?

Foreign Policy in Focus
U.S. and Saudi Arabia: A Toxic Alliance

Rachelle Marshall

Qatar is at least as bad as Saudi Arabia as a Wahhabi-Salafist state diametrically opposed to Western liberalism.

OAN
Wielding Riches, Qatar Seeks To Deepen U.S. Ties, Protect Regional Clout

Tom Finn

See also

Washington’s top diplomat made his rounds this week to Central Asia’s five former Soviet republics — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Commentators say Kerry’s four-day trip was aimed at countering Russian influence there. He was also working to reassure the countries that America remains committed in the region even as it slowly withdraws troops out of Afghanistan.

Still, it makes things awkward when most of the five “stans,” as they’re sometimes known, are run by men accused of flouting democracy and systematically abusing human rights.

Combining idealism with Realpolitik.

Global Post
Post-Soviet dictators are getting extra friendly with the United States

Dan Peleschkuk